The South African racing season will close in spectacular
style at Clairwood Racecourse in Durban on Saturday when stakes
totalling R1 350 000 will be up for grabs in the feature events
on All Stars Day.
It is the final gathering of the country’s equine stars bidding
for honours in the annual “Night of the Equine Oscars”, the Equus
Awards, which takes place in Gauteng on Monday, August 16.
It is the day of the R500 000, Grade 1 Champions Cup, one of the
most prestigious conditions races on the African continent with
a history dating back many decades.
The compact field includes the best three-year-old left in South
Africa, Gary Alexander’s Jallad colt James Jaguar, who takes on
Stan Elley’s five-year-old Badger Land gelding, Red Badge, who beat
him 1,3 lengths in the Vodacom Durban July. They are joined by,
among others, Alastor and Hold The Fort who filled the first two
places in the Cup Trial.
Another of the main contenders in this race will be Geoff Woodruff’s
four-year-old Rambo Dancer gelding, His Lordship, who won the Astrapak
1900 in a tough fight with Wolf Whistle.
The juveniles are strongly represented in the R300 000, Grade 1
Premier’s Champion Stakes and the R200 000, Grade 2 Thekwini Fillies
and the three-year-olds will contest the last two major classics
of the season, the R200 000, Grade 2 Gold Circle Derby and the R150
000, Grade 2 Gold Circle Oaks.
This is the day of the stars and the final opportunity for racing
enthusiasts to see the country’s top horses in action until the
winter season next year.
If you are one of the first 2 000 people who pay for an entrance
ticket at Clairwood on Saturday, you will be given a free R10 betting
voucher to be used at the meeting as well as a complimentary entrance
ticket to the Canon Gold Cup on August 7. In addition, when you
buy your entrance ticket, Gold Circle will give you an entry form
for the Golden Bet Bingo Competition that takes place at Greyville
on Canon Gold Cup Day and which offers great prizes of TV sets,
VCR’s and Canon cameras as well as a chance to win a R32 000 Gold
Circle telebet betting account.